1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for adjusting a vertical position of a slip joint in a vehicle including an airbag device for deploying an airbag downward along an inner surface of a side portion of a vehicle compartment from a side edge of a roof, and a seat belt device in which a middle portion of a webbing is slidably guided by a slip joint provided at a pillar.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent No. 3460636 discloses a seat belt device wherein a slide plate 52, to which a slip joint 51 for slidably guiding a webbing for restraining an occupant to a seat is fixed via an adjustable anchor 53, is supported along an inner surface of a center pillar garnish 22 to be movable up and down; projecting portions 22a and 52a triangular in section are formed at the center pillar garnish 22 or the slide plate 52 above the slip joint 51; and an airbag 31 which is deploying is guided with the projecting portions 22a and 52a so as to move the airbag 31 away from the center pillar 12 to prevent the airbag 31 deploying into a shape of a curtain along the inner surface of the vehicle compartment from the side edge of the roof from being caught by the slip joint 51 of the seat belt device and from becoming incapable of smoothly deploying.
Conventionally, when the position of the slip joint of the seat belt device is adjusted in the vertical direction in accordance with the physical constitution of an occupant, the slide plate is moved in the vertical direction along the center pillar in the state in which the locking of the slide plate to the center pillar is released by pressing downward the lock releasing button which is provided at the slide plate for supporting the slip joint, and the lock releasing button is released at a predetermined position to lock the slide plate to the center pillar.
However, in the above-described conventional structure, when the airbag deploying downward from the side edge of the roof at the time of collision of the vehicle interferes with the lock releasing button of the seat belt device, there is the possibility that the lock releasing button is pressed downward by the airbag to release the locking and the slide plate moves downward together with the slip joint to loosen the webbing, thereby deteriorating the occupant restraining performance.